Trolley-switch.



.No. 845,912. PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907.

B. G. WATKINS.

TROLLEY SWITCH. ABPLIGATION FILED APE.26,1906.

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..PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907.

B. G. WATKINS. TROLLBY SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED APR. 26, 1906 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UErTEn STATES PATENT oEErcE.

BENJAMIN G. WATKINS, OF NEHAWKA, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- THIRD TO JULIAN A. POLLARD, JR, OF NEHAWKA, NEBRASKA.

TROLLEY-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 5, 1907.

Application filed April 26, 1906. Serial No. 313,815.

KINs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nehawka, in the county of Cass and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolley-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

' This invention relates to improvements in trolley switches such as are employed in stores, packing-houses, and the like, wherein overhead trolley systems are in use; and it has for its object a pivoted switch which may be instantly swung at any desired point remote from the track from straight to siding position to thereby change the direction or travel of the carrier.

With the above and other objects in view the invention further consists in the con struction and arrangement of parts now to be fully described, and later pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein like characters of reference denote similar parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of track, showing my invention applied thereto and illustrating the switch set to enable the carrier to move to the siding. Fig. 2 is a like view showing the device set to permit the carrier to travel in its straight path of movement. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a portion of the operating-lever. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the pivoted tracksection midway of its travel rrom straighttrack position to siding-track position. Fig. 6 is a similar view show ing the pivoted tracksection in straight-track position. Fig. 7 is a side elevation disclosing the bearings for the pivoted track-section, and Fig. 8 is an end view of the pivoted track portion.

In the embodiment of my invention I employ a straight track-section (indicated 1) and a siding 2, the straight track-section being cut away, as at 3, to accommodate my improvement, which resides in a pivoted tracksection 4, now to be described.

The pivoted track-section embodies a pivoted member the side 5 of which is constituted of a straight track-section and the opposite side 6 of which is equipped with a curved track-section designated the siding and which has its curved end alining with siding 2 when in the position shown in Fig. 1.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, member 4 has pintles 7 8, which are received in bearings 9 10, formed therefor in track-section 1 adjacent the cut-away part 3 thereof. Bearings 9 and 10, it will be observed, are large enough to allow the pivoted track-section 4 to rest on the lower part of straight tracksection 1, (indicated X.) The object of having pivoted track-section 4 rest upon lower edge of straight track-section (indicated X) is to prevent binding of pintles 8 9 where heavy loads are passing over said section 4. Aplate, such as 11 in Fig. 3,is rigidly secured to the track-section 3 to retain the pintles 7 within its bearing, as shown in Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 6, the curved track-section (indicated 6) is formed with an undercut portion 11, which forms a pocket, for a purpose shortly made obvious. 12 designates an operating-lever, which is pivoted at 12 to track-section 1, this lever having its rear part 12 equipped with a chain or the like, as 14, whereby the same may be operated from below. The forward position of this lever is formed with two divergent branches of unequal length, one extending upwardly in a slight curve and the other downwardly in a slight curve, t e upper arm being indi cated 15 and the lower arm 16. lVhen the pivoted track-section is set for straight position, arm 15 of lever 12 projects into ocket 11 at or adjacent to an abutment 6", r drmed by pocket 11 in curved part 6. It will thus be manifest that if portion 12" of lever 12 be operated downwardly arm 15 will be raised and will engage abutment 6, thereby tilting the pivoted track-section 4 until arm 15, due to its rearward movement, is disengaged from pocket 11, at which time arm 16, which is pursuing a movement corresponding to that of arm 15 but in the rear thereof, will engage the side of the pivoted track-section 4 opposite to the side carrying curved part 6 and complete the tilting operation, at which time lever 12 occupies the position shown in Fig. 4, which rigidly locks the pivoted section 4 from movement. Lever 12 is preferably provided with a stop 17, carried on the under side thereof and adapted for engagement with the under side of tracksection 1, whereby downward movement of the end 12 of lever 12 will be restricted.

When the parts are in the position represented in Fig. 4, the siding-track is operative,

and in order to reverse the position of pivoted track-section 4 and to convert the track to straight position I preferably employ a chain or the like, (indicated 18,) one end of which, 19, is rigidly aflixed to the abutment 6 of curved part 6, from which point the chain passes over side 6 of track-section 4, thence downward, being passed through an eye 20, carried by arm 16 of lever 12, and finally to any desired point accessible to the operator. Chain 18 has a stop 21 thereon which engages eye 20 in order that lever 12 may be operated to the position shown in Fig. 6 when pivoted track-section 4 occupies the position shown in Fig. 4.

As shown in Fig. 4, pivoted track-section 4 is in siding-track position, at which time lever 12 occupies the position therein shown.

If it is desired to change the track to straight position, a downward pull is exerted on chain 18, which causes pressure to be exerted on side 6 at a point marked a. The chain being drawn tight causes stop 21 thereof to engage eye 20 and to simultaneously swing track-section 4 on its trunnions and to cause downward movement of arm 16 of lever 12 to the position shown in Fig. 6. It will be observed by reference to Fig. 5, which shows the intermediate position of track-section 4 in being swung from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that of Fig. 6, that arm 15 of lever 12 enters pocket 11 and engages cam-face 11 thereof, and since pressure in this midway position of tracksection 4 is still being exerted on chain 18 arm 15 will consequently complete the movement of member 4 and finally occupy the position illustrated in Fig. 6.

In reversing the position of member 4 from that shown in Fig. 6 to that of Fig. 4 chain 18 of lever 12 is pulled downwardly, lifting arm 15 to bear against abutment 6 of pocket 11, which lifts said abutment 6 and tilts the member 4 to the position of Fig. 5, continued downward movement of the rear end of the lever 12 to enter into action by engagement of the end of arm 16 with cam-face 11", which gradually lifts member 4 into the position shown in Fig. 4. Thus it will be observed that in the position of Fig. 4 the arm 16 or lever 12 prevents movement of member 4, as clearly shown.

In Figs. 3 and 7 I have illustrated a preferred mode of forming joints between the rails, wherein the intermediate rail is formed with a cut-out part 25 on one side receiving projections 26 of like contour carried by the abutting rails, suitable fastenings passing through each, as shown.

It is of course understood that my invention may be made of any suitable material and of any size and that various changes in the form, proportion, &c., may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a straight track having a cut-out part, and a siding disposed adjacent thereto, a pivoted member disposed in said cut-out part and resting upon the lower portion thereof said pivoted member having a straight track-section on one side and a curved traclesection on its opposite side, a lever having a pair of arms, an abutment on said member to be engaged by one of said arms, and a connection between said abutment and said lever.

2. In combination with a track having a cut-out part, and a siding related thereto, a member disposed in said cut-out part and having a straight track-section and a curved track-section, a pivoted lever having a pair of divergent arms to engage opposite sides of said member; and a flexible connection between said lever and said member.

3. In combination with a track and a siding disposed adjacent thereto, a pivoted member supported from the track and having a straight track-section and a curved track-section, a pivoted lever having a chain connected to one end and a chain connected to the opposite end and to the said member.

4. In combination with a track having a cut-out portion, and a siding disposed adjacent thereto, a pivoted member disposed in said cut-out portion and having a straight track-section on one side and a curved tracksection on its opposite side, a pivoted lever, stops to restrict the movement of said lever, a pair of diverging arms carried on the front end of the lever, a pocket carried by said member to receive one of said arms and having a part thereof to be engaged by said arm, and a flexible connection secured at one end in said pocket and having a part thereof engaging the opposite arm of said lever.

5. In combination with a track having a cut-out portion, and a siding disposed adjacent thereto, a pivoted member disposed in said cut-out portion and having a straight track-section on one side and a curved tracksection on the opposite side, a pivoted lever having a pair of arms, one of said arms being for engagement with one side face of said member and the other arm being for engagement with the opposite side face thereof.

6. In combination with a track having a and desire to secure by cut-out portion, and a siding disposed adj acent thereto, a pivoted member disposed in said cut-out portion and having a straight track-section on one side thereof and a curved track-section on the opposite side thereof, a pivoted lever having a pair of arms located at one end thereof to engage opposite side faces of said member, and a flexible connection between said lever and said member.

7. In combination with a track having a cut-out portion, and a siding disposed adjacent thereto, a pivoted member arranged in IIC 845,912 &

track-section on one side thereof anda curved and a flexible connection secured to said track-section on the opposite side thereof, abutment and to said 1ast-named arm. one side of said member having a right-angu- In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature lar abutment, a pivoted lever having a pair in presence of two Witnesses.

of arms at one end thereof, one of said arms BENJAMIN G. WATKINS. being for engagement with said abutment, Witnesses:

and the other arm being for engagement with MORRIS D. POLLARD,

the side face of said member opposite to the JULIAN A. POLLARD.

said cut-out portion and having a straight 1 side of said member having said abutment, I0 

